March 14, 2008
Spy Camera Built Into Belt Buckle
Spy cameras seem to grip the attention of younger gadget fans due to the fact that they are highly attainable, amusing and fun. They also have much more realistic uses, such as protecting yourself and or your property. Due to the popularity within the spy camera field, there are always new interesting and strange concepts being released, and here is a prime example.
A business called Ajoka has integrated a camera into a belt buckle. The quality of the video is far from great offering footage worse than YouTube quality, on a 176*144 pixel 3GP display. The spy camera belt buckle only uses 500Kb per minute. When transferring your filed to the 2GB MicroSD card that equates to an impressive 65 hours of video. Current battery power limits this length in any one session to three hours.
The bottom of the buckle contains the card slot, record button and a power switch which allows you to control when and where you capture video, in an effort to prolong battery life and performance. There is also a USB port for downloading video files directly onto your PC or laptop.
The belt itself does not broadcast any signals, so will be immune to wireless detectors, but not immune from clashing with your usual dress code. From that angle, it's difficult to know how good a video you will be able to achieve, unless the camera can pan up dramatically.
March 10, 2008
Wearable Electronics The Under Skin Tattoo Device
"Wearable Electronics". A concept you are probably not familiar with, but is enticing enough to capture your attention. Wearable technology, technology under the skin, is a concept devised by inventor Jim Mielke for the Greener Gadgets Design Competition. The idea is a Digital Tattoo Interface, which is physically inserted under the skin and muscle. It will also be able to communicate with other devices utilising Bluetooth technology.
The power is produced through two small tubes attached to the device which are subsequently fastened to an artery and a vein which converted glucose and oxygen into electricity. If you think that's clever, the device will also use a touch screen interface, allowing you to manipulate the controls through your own skin via microscopic spheres.
If you have a tattoo through this device, you can simply change it via any other Bluetooth enabled device, to go with your clothing, for example. At this stage it remains a concept only, but a working prototype is certainly worth waiting for. It truly is a concept which will get under your skin.
Sun Apr 06, 2008 4:08 pm
